We have had some amazing days out here to start the awesome month of July! In this fishing report, I will talk about snook, trout, permit, tarpon, and snapper, which are the main fish we target during this time of year when the water reaches around 90 degrees and many migratory fish move out deeper to find cooler water. This July has been quite different from most previous Julys. Usually, in July, all of the big baitfish we’ve been catching and using throughout the year disappear, and we get a new type called “hatch bait” that moves into our area. Hatch bait consists of very small baitfish that have just been born, making it much harder to cast, catch bigger fish, and deal with overall. Not having to deal with hatch bait so far this year has been a huge plus and has changed my usual July routine. Normally, in July, I’m fishing for mangrove snapper because of how small the bait is. In July, mangrove snapper come into our bay to breed, and we get a big surge of these tasty fish! So far this summer, I haven’t been doing much snapper fishing on my Anna Maria Island Fishing Charters; instead, we’ve been focusing on the bigger species.
Anna Maria Island Snook fishing in July
July is one of the best months of the year to target snook because they gather in large schools and are finishing up their breeding. There are many male snook, which are the smaller fish in the 15-33 inch range, stacked together. Sometimes, you’ll find female snook mixed in—these are the larger breeder fish, which can reach 40 inches. There are several areas where you can catch snook at this time of year. Many guides prefer to fish the big schools in the Manatee River and Terra Ceia, which have been productive for many years. These spots include grass flats, mangrove lines, and a few docks that hold good numbers of snook during this season. However, I don’t fish these areas much, as these fish experience a lot of pressure and tend not to bite as well as in other locations I’ve found over the years. Instead, I focus on smaller groups of fish along the beaches, near passes, and in deeper mangrove areas. Sometimes, snook can be found at depths up to 40 feet on rock piles, ledges, and larger structures. The best bait for them now is a medium-sized pilchard with a super light leader and a 2/0 circle hook. We’ve been catching many big snook along with the smaller ones this July and have had some incredible mornings targeting these fantastic fish. If you’re visiting and want to book a fishing charter on Anna Maria Island, snook are definitely fish you can expect to catch!
Trout fishing on Anna Maria Island, July
We’ve had an incredible year for trout fishing, and it has continued into July! You can find good trout fishing on any grass flat this time of year, and it has been very productive for families looking to bring home some dinner! We don’t catch as many giant trout as we do in the spring, but we land plenty of fish in the 12-19 inch range.
AMI Snapper fishing in July
Snapper fishing in the bay is always best in July and August because that’s when snapper come into the bay to breed. They use a few of the passes and bridges as “highways” to enter the bay, making it very easy to locate and catch a limit of snapper. The bait in July has been much bigger than usual, so I haven’t been doing as much snapper fishing as I have in past years. But when a family wants to load a cooler full of fish, I head out to the snapper grounds and catch a ton of delicious fish! If you’re coming down to do some fishing in Anna Maria Island, then Mangrove snapper is something you need to try!
Permit fishing around Anna Maria Island in July
I’ll keep it brief when I talk about these amazing fish because it’s a “secret” that only a few guides in the area know. These fish are special and are definitely some of my favorites to target and catch. If you ever come down and want to experience some world-class Anna Maria Island charter fishing, then permit is definitely a fish we will target!
Here’s a quick rundown of the July 2025 fishing scene around Anna Maria Island:
- July’s been different! Usually, the big baitfish disappear and tiny “hatch bait” comes in, making fishing tough. But this year, the big bait stuck around, which is awesome because hatch bait is a pain.
- Snapper fishing? Not so much! Normally, July is prime time for mangrove snapper, especially since they come into the bay to breed. But since we’ve had bigger bait, we’ve been chasing bigger fish instead.
- Snook are crushing it! July is one of the best months for snook. You’ll find tons of male snook (15-33 inches) and some big female breeders (40 inches!).
- Where to find snook: A lot of guides hit the big schools in the Manatee River and Terra Ceia, but those spots get a lot of pressure. I prefer smaller groups on beaches, near passes, and in deeper mangrove bushes. You can even find them deep on rock piles!
- Best snook bait: A medium pilchard with a super light leader and a 2/0 circle hook. We’ve been catching a mix of big and small snook this month!
- Trout are still great! We’ve had an amazing year for trout, and July is no exception. Grass flats are good, and families are loving catching dinner. Most are 12-19 inches.
- Permit are special (and secret)! I can’t spill too many beans on these, but they’re one of my favorites to target. If you’re looking for world-class charter fishing, we’ll definitely go after them!
